Australia - New Zealand Antarctic Whale Expedition 2010 - Photo-ID Data Request

A catalogue of 61 individual humpback whale fluke photographs were collected during the recent Australia - New Zealand Antarctic Whale Expedition between 150°E and 150°W. This expedition is part of the Southern Ocean Research Partnership (SORP) initiative (http://www.marinemammals.gov.au), a five year, non-lethal research programme on Antarctic whales.

Two Fluke photographs were collected in 2010 by the French programme CETA IPEV 1014 off east Antarctica. These photographs have also been included in this collection.

We welcome other catalogue holders to match these photographs with their own images. The results of this matching process should be reported to Dr. Rochelle Constantine of the University of Auckland who is coordinating this project. A reporting template and contact details are included in the download file.

These data will contribute to a large, multi-author scientific paper for publication in a peer reviewed journal. The paper will have multiple authors listed alphabetically after the coordinator's name. All matching must be completed by 1st November 2010 to allow sufficient time for data analysis and the preparation of a paper to be presented at the 63rd meeting of the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission (2011).

This project will be the largest effort to match humpback whales on their feeding grounds to their migratory corridors and breeding grounds south of Australia and the western South Pacific. If you are interested in collaborating in this project then please complete the form below to request access to the data.

The AWE project will not enter into collaborations with lethal research programmes or individuals/institutions that receive funding from lethal research programmes.

Please inform other relevant catalogue holders of this project.

If you have any questions or comments please email: ammccoordinator@aad.gov.au